Shugorei
by Shadou-sama
Summary: SpiritedAwayXover. Ka-Shoku has been chosen to join the Bladebreakers to try to prevent the Demolition Boys' victory in the World Championships. But how will the boys react to her emotionless personality?
1. Chapter 1

**Shugorei   
by Shadou-sama**

    Yubaba sat at her desk, scribbling on a few sheets of paper. Nothing too important, just the usual paperwork. Her Kashira bounced around quietly and Bou was asleep in his nursery. Yu-Bird was out scouting the town for any 'guests' that just happened to forget to pay their bill. Everything was normal in Aburarya Bathhouse. Except for one thing, and it would be taken care of quickly.   
    "You wished to see me?" A calm and quiet voice asked. Yubaba looked up from her paperwork.   
    She had the looks of a normal human girl. But she was no human… She was Ka-Shoku, the red Ka-Riu dragon. Her dark red hair was tied up in a high ponytail, bangs falling over her dark red eyes. She wore a simple gray yukata and black obi. Her face was serious, but otherwise expressionless. Like she always was, even when Yubaba first met her.   
    "Yes, I did." Yubaba leaned back in her chair. "Have you heard about beyblades?"   
    "No, ma'am."   
    "In the human world there is this sport called beyblade. Two spinning tops fight each other with the last one spinning wins. It's quite a popular sport in the human world."   
    "And why are you telling me this?" Ka-Shoku asked.   
    "Because in there is going to be great turmoil in the human world over the World Championships. If this one team loses, then the other's corporate sponsor, Biovolt, will be able to take over the human world," Yubaba explained.   
    "And why do we care about the human world? It doesn't involve the spirit world and it certainly does not involve the bathhouse."   
    "It does involve the spirit world. Some of the beyblades hold very powerful spirits. They want to use these spirits, who they call Bit-beasts, and their own artificial Bit-beasts in their plans. These spirits do not want this. They would be very grateful for our help and could pay us a very large amount of money."   
    "I see."   
    "So I want you to go to the human world and join the Bladebreakers team to help them to win. Because if they don't, Biovolt will—"   
    "Biovolt is involved?" Ka-Shoku interrupted.   
    "Yes. They will—"   
    "I will be fighting against Biovolt?" she interrupted again.   
    "Yes," Yubaba said, annoyed. "Now as I was trying to say, Biovolt will defile the poor Bit-beasts and we lose out on lucrative customers."   
    Ka-Shoku nodded her understanding.   
    "You will leave when the sun rises for the human world. Once there, you will instantly have knowledge and skill of beyblade. You will meet with a human called Mr. Dickinson. I have already talked to him and he has agreed to let you join the Bladebreakers. He will introduce you to your new team."   
    Yubaba casually waved a hand and a red object went zooming towards Ka-Shoku, who easily caught it in one hand. She looked at the object. It looked some kind of top, and it had a circle in its center with the picture of a red dragon.   
    "That is a beyblade. And that red dragon is a Bit-beast that agreed to help. Her name is Dryu and she is quite powerful. Treat her with great respect." Yubaba waved another hand and a gym bag flew in from another room, also grabbed by Ka-Shoku. "In there you will have everything you will need in the human world. And don't forget to change in human clothes before you leave. Oh, and please tell Rin that if she wants a new assistant, that she has to clean the big tub this week."   
    Ka-Shoku knew she was being dismissed. She turned around and left.   
    Biovolt. She didn't like Biovolt. Biovolt had kidnapped her from her home and mercilessly experimented on her. She couldn't remember what it was like before then, but she knew she had been happy. Happy, and other emotions, were something that was denied to her these days. She walked around the floors of the bathhouse. It would be time to leave when the guests left. She noticed the other employees avoiding her, but as always, she didn't care. She could get things done faster if they didn't get in her way.   
    Rin was an opinionated woman who had once had her own assistant. The assistant had been human, a girl named Chichiro, or Sen when she was working here. That girl had managed to get her and her parents freedom back from Yubaba. She had also freed Haku, Yubaba's former apprentice. It had been lucky for Ka-Shoku, as she had received his place.   
    She walked up to the foreman on the bath floor. "Where is Rin?" she asked.   
    "Who? Rin? Oh, she's at the big tub today," the foreman answered distractedly. He handed out a bath token to a yuna with a friendly, "Have a good bath, sir," to the customer.   
    "Thank you," Ka-Shoku said and went off to the far tub.   
    Rin was scrubbing the slime out of the tub, all the while muttering swears and bloody oaths and death threats. The last customer to have used the tub was a river god that at the time had been covered in pollution and rusted metal. The tub was getting popular again, especially with polluted river spirits, and needed to be cleaned out.   
    "Rin," Ka-Shoku greeted as she climbed to the lip of the huge tub.   
    "What?" Rin asked, annoyed with fists on her hips. She looked up. "Oh, Ka-Shoku. Didn't realize it was you."   
    Of course not or she would have answered more politely. "You're supposed to clean the tub all this week."   
    "What?" Rin yelled. "But this should be frog work! It'll be murder!"   
    "Yubaba said if you wanted a new assistant then you had to work for it."   
    "Grrr," Rin grumbled. "Hey, you going somewhere?" she asked, pointing to the bag.   
    "Yes."   
    "Where?"   
    "On a mission."   
    Rin looked wistful. "I'd love to get away from here."   
    "You wouldn't like where I'm going."   
    Ka-Shoku walked away, Rin looking questioningly. Guests were getting out of tubs and getting dried off, heading either to their room or to the door. Ka-Shoku hurried to her room to get dressed in her new human clothes. Light was coming.   
    Her room was empty except for a sleeping mattress and a wardrobe. Simple and clean, just the way she liked it. Not that Ka-Shoku was a simple person. She just didn't like lingering in the past, possessions that revealed what she had done before the now moment. Ka-Shoku liked to think of the moment and plan for the future.   
    She pulled out her new clothes. A gray and black Chinese traditional blouse and pants. There was a black jacket, with an embroidered red dragon slithering across it. How fitting. There was another jacket as well, a heavier one. It was aqua blue with the logo BBA on it. There was also a pair of black sneakers and socks. She put on her new clothes (except for the aqua coat, it was much too warm for a night like this, and the runners, she was still inside) and went to her wardrobe.   
    Everything Ka-Shoku owned was in those wooden drawers. She wasn't a clutter bug like Yubaba. She would pack a few things, and leave what she didn't take with her in the room. They would be there when she returned, hopefully. But if they weren't, she would just live on without them.   
    Her yukata and obi were already in the bag. She added a bright red Fire Opal and a dark and shiny Black Opal. A few spell scrolls and a bottle of ash followed the jewels. A black ivory comb and a furry towel were needed as well. Every traveler should have a good towel. Her katana, the one thing she had from her past. Her hand hovered over a crimson sash. Would she ever need it? No… she grabbed it and tied it around her waist. It could be used as a bandage was her reasoning.   
    Through the window, Ka-Shoku could see the sun raising. Time to go. She grabbed her bag and walked through the empty bathhouse. Across the bridge and she was in an empty town. A true ghost town. The river beyond the town was wide and deep during the night, but during the day it was a small babbling creek. The tunnel wasn't that much farther. And after that… her mission awaited. 

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Shugorei   
Chapter Two   
by Shadou-sama**

    People just assumed that Ka-Shoku could neither love nor hate. That was true. But that didn't mean she couldn't like or dislike. She liked sitting in the shade on a hot day and eating the beef the chiefs so expertly prepared. She disliked wool and cold iron. And there was something else too. Oh yeah, having to trudge five hundred miles in the pouring rain and muddy roads. She passed a town sign. Now only four hundred and ninety-nine miles to go. 

    "Why do we need a new teammate?" Max asked. The Bladebreakers were talking to Mr. Dickinson, who had just finished up congratulating their win against the Majestics and had moved on to telling them this new news.   
    "We can win the World Championships by ourselves!" Tyson added.   
    "She's more of a – incase. You may need her help, you might not. But it's better that she's there and you not need her than if she isn't and you do." Mr. Dickinson explained.   
    "But why now?" Ray asked. "Why not before on of the other tournaments?"   
    "That's a good question," Mr. Dickinson mulled it over. "And the answer is that I only err—met my associate a short time ago. We both agreed to give this new beyblader a chance, and this is the soonest we could arrange it."   
    "What do you think, Kai?" Kenny asked.   
    Said beyblader just shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me because I don't need her help."   
    "You might find her interesting," Mr. Dickinson prophesized. "I think you all will."   
    "Does she have a bit-beast?" Max asked.   
    "I do believe she does. A very powerful dragon called Dryu," he answered.   
    "So when will we meet her?" Ray inquired.   
    "At your hotel in Russia. That's where I asked her to go. She may be a little late, she's coming in from Japan," Mr. Dickinson explained.   
    "And what's her name?" Ray asked.   
    "Did I forget to tell you? Very sorry. It's Ka-Shoku. I'm told she has a bit of a err—personality problem," he looked pointedly at Kai, who was leaning back on the wall, eyes closed and uncaring, "but I daresay you'll be able to handle it." 

    Ka-Shoku walked up to a building in Tokyo. She was totally soaked and her clothing was mostly covered in mud. She slipped. Now she was totally covered in mud. Definitely not up to the standards of this wealthy part of the city.   
    Just inside the lobby, she shook herself much like a dog. Mud and water flew onto the furniture. She gently squeezed the rain out of her ponytail.   
    "Eh-hem," a person coughed pointedly. Ka-Shoku's head shot straight up. A trim woman was standing behind a receptionist's desk, looking more then a little peeved that the once clean room was now flecked with muddy water. A small piece of mud had hit her in the cheek. "Is there anything I can help you with? Or would you just like to roll around on the floor for a bit?"   
    "Yes," Ka-Shoku replied, ignoring the woman's rudeness. "I'm here to see Mr. Dickinson."   
    "I'm sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all, "but he is out of the country currently. Anything else?"   
    "He's not here?" ("That's what I said," the woman muttered.) "But I was told to come here to meet him." All that walking in the rain for nothing.   
    "Oh, are you Miss Ka-Shoku," the woman asked.   
    "Yes."   
    "He left a letter for you." She pulled out a white envelope with the BBA logo on it from somewhere behind her desk. She practically flung the thing at Ka-Shoku when she took a step forward, trying to avoid more of the lobby being mudified.   
    Ka-Shoku ripped open the envelope. 

    _'Dear Ka-Shoku,   
    'I hope you had a pleasant time getting here 
_("If I was a duck," she muttered.)_. I'm deeply sorry that I couldn't meet you at my office, but urgent business came up in Europe. Please head over to Russia, the hotel address is on the card.   
    Mr. Dickinson'
_

    A cream-colored business card fell out of the envelope. She absent-mindedly picked it up. Russia. She had to get to Russia. But she couldn't walk; there was a huge ocean between the two nations. Unless she was a duck. She would have to fly, meaning she'd have to get a fan. She had foolishly left hers at the Bathhouse.   
    Ka-Shoku left the building, grateful that the rain had stopped. She was oblivious to the other piece of paper that had fallen out of the envelope. The receptionist picked it up.   
    "A plane ticket to Russia," she murmured. "Serves her right! Getting my nice clean lobby all filthy." She walked away to retrieve a janitor to clean it up. 

_To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Shugorei   
Chapter Three   
by Shadou-sama**

    Sunset Shrine used to be a mile away from the closest village. It used to have many acres to its name. It used to be famous throughout the country. But as the years passed, it was swallowed up by the city and forgotten by most of Japan. Now it was a single acre of land in a wealthy part of Tokyo. The Shrine's owners, the Higurashis, didn't mind for their neighbors loved to buy charms and other knick knacks from the Shrine's kiosk.   
    Kagome was home from one of her quests. Her grandfather had promptly put her to work, manning the small kiosk. "Everyone in the family should help with the shrine," he has said, "even if they're saving the world."   
    Why should she even bother? No one was coming. It had stopped raining but it was still horrible out. Everyone else was snug in his or her homes like her own family. No one would think to come to the Shrine today.   
    She fingered one of the spell scrolls and stared out at the giant Genboku Tree in their yard. Maybe she should tell her grandfather that she had promised to go back soon. No, this was supposed to be her break! She would not go back until Inu-Yasha came and dragged her back!   
    Hey, it _was_ her break. Why couldn't her grandfather do this? It was his job after all. But no, he was inside watching those Bey-things with Souta. She bet he made up that thing about the whole family helping out. Souta never helped out, just played.   
    "Excuse me," a voice interrupted her rebellious thoughts. A girl stood outside the window. A customer!   
    "Is there anything I can help you with? We have charms for love and luck, souvenirs, and scrolls to protect you from spirits. Our priest could even exercise a spirit in your home!" Was it her imagination or was the girl getting more uncomfortable while she talked about anti-spirit items?   
    "Do you have a fan?"   
    Kagome looked around at the merchandise. She wasn't sure if she would see one. Most people bought their fans in stores, not at Shrines. Then she spotted one in the corner. "Just a second, Ma'am."   
    She ducked down and pulled it out. Dust lied thick on the fan, so she tried to get it off with her sleeve. She jumped up and handed it to the girl.   
    "Thank you." The girl bowed slightly.   
    Kagome looked over at the price sheet. "That'll be – hey!"   
    The girl was running off, no, more like flying over the ground. "Spirit," she groaned, and ran out of the kiosk, grabbing her bow and arrows. Moving quickly, she fired the arrows in rapid motion. A shower of arrows hailed down on the spirit girl.   
    Ka-Shoku dodged. "Miko," she groaned. Of all her luck! Maybe she should have taken a good luck charm too. She moved side to side, flipping over, sometimes kicking the ground to move her body out of the path of an arrow.   
    She clutched her bag to her chest and opened the fan. With a flick of the wrist, she murmured, "Tutsureiniku." Her human body dissolved away and formed a longer, stronger body. She was a Ka-Riu dragon, soul and now body. She took off into the sky. She was going to Russia!   
    Kagome was left to stare. Her arrows were spent, and even if they weren't she knew better then to get into a fight with a dragon. She just wasn't strong enough. Now what to tell her grandfather. How about a dragon spirit stole it to fly off to that World Championship thing the two males were crowing about? 

    Kai and the stooges, as he privately dubbed them, were walking up to their hotel room. Minds were heavy with what they had just witnessed in the abbey.   
    Why had it seemed so familiar to him? He felt like he'd been there before. But when? And why? And why couldn't he remember it?   
    Tyson opened the hotel room door for them. The room had a coffee table, a sofa chair and three large beds. It looked like they were going to have to double up. Woe to whomever had to sleep next to Tyson.   
     A redheaded girl walked into the room from what looked like the bathroom, toweling her hair dry. She wore gray and black Oriental style clothes, which had faint mud stains on them. She looked up at them.   
    "Who are you?" Tyson asked brashly. Kai felt like smacking him. It was obvious who she was.   
    "Ka-Shoku. Are you the Bladebreakers?"   
    Their new teammate seemed as stupid as Tyson. They would be the only people that had the room's key, unless she thought they might be the maids. In that case, she was even stupider than Tyson. He studied her. She didn't look anything special, except maybe for her serious and even cold expression. A flash of recognition shot through him. He knew that girl! From where, though? Just like the abbey. It didn't matter since she would probably be bailing as soon as Kai showed her his new training schedule. Playtime was over.   
    "Yep," Max replied in a cheery matter. Ka-Shoku didn't even give any indication that she had heard him. Her towel lay on her shoulders, and her hands were pulling her hair into a ponytail with a weird shimmering elastic band.   
    She looked up at Kai and noticed him watching her. Now he was the one being judged. What was she seeing? Kai wondered. A cool bad ass loner to be left alone or a poor soul in desperate need of love and care? He wouldn't appreciate the second one.   
    "Looks like we've got another Kai on our hands," Tyson whispered to the other stooges.   
    "I guess that's what he meant by a personality problem."   
    "Kai's not that bad. You just have to get to know him and I'm sure it's the same with Ka-Shoku," Ray whispered back.   
    "If she can beyblade like Kai, we can't lose," Kenny stated optimistically.   
    "Bet she's as grumpy as Kai too," Tyson grumbled.   
    Ka-Shoku was still watching Kai, and vice versus. Waves of protectiveness and love washed through her. She was actually feeling! What could be so special about this boy that could invoke emotions in her dead soul? Maybe he was from before, the time when she was happy. He could show her the domain she ruled, where her own fan is. She should follow that new feeling of hers. She should protect him. Nothing must hurt him. Nothing. 

_To be continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Shugorei   
Chapter Four   
by Shadou-sama**

    Tyson was hungry. By the exasperation of his teammates and Kai's rolling of his eyes (unseen by his male teammates), Ka-Shoku guessed that this was happened a lot. But Ka-Shoku was glad, for she hadn't eaten since back at the Bathhouse and that was a long time ago.   
    They were in a popular restaurant, one that practically everyone recommended. Gasha's, it was called. Five stars in most magazines.   
    Ka-Shoku didn't know what she had been expecting—no wait, she did. She had been expecting at least decent food. The meal set in front of her didn't meet those expectations. In fact, she doubted it even came close to those expectations.   
    There was rice, no surprise there. Beside it was steam carrots. She could handle that. What she couldn't was the meat-ish looking slab and some sort of tiny dumplings and the fluffy white gunk. She looked to either side of the plate. There weren't any chopsticks! Just some imitation silver things.   
    She allowed her mind to wander while the boys were talking about an 'anime'. She didn't know what it was, nor cared. She had been mildly surprised that they wanted to dine with her. The yuna at the Bathhouse had always avoided her. But maybe she should be more concerned over why she had known their names. Practically straight off the bat she had been able to identify them. Possibly Yubaba's magic had given her this as well. Guess she shouldn't complain; it made things easier for her.   
    Max looked over. Something wasn't quite right. While the boy's meals were mostly devoured, Ka-Shoku's looked relatively untouched. "Aren't you hungry?" he asked.   
    Sure she was, Ka-Shoku thought, but not for this--whatever it was.   
    "You have to eat." Kai said gruffly. His arms were crossed and his eyes cold, his perfect 'I don't give a damn' look.   
    "I'll eat lat—" She was interrupted by Kai shoving a piece of the strange meat into her mouth with a fork. The others widened their eyes. Kai never did this! Tyson kept on eating, but with his eyes glued to the two.   
    She chewed and swallowed it. She supposed it was cooked meat, and while it was sort of good, raw was better. But that wasn't the issue here. "You won't do that ag—" she was interrupted again as Kai shoved a second piece into her mouth. Her eyes widened in surprise. He had done it again! After she had told him not to.   
    Kai took it cool like; his eyes had remained closed the whole time. "If you don't eat, you'll become weak. And if you become weak, you can forget about being on this team."   
    Ray frowned. "Don't you think that's a bit—"   
    "Yes sir," Ka-Shoku interrupted, and started eating the rice. She was a bit clumsy with the silvery things, this was her first time using them, but she caught on by imitating Tyson, but slower.   
    He had made several good points, but he didn't even know the meaning of them as she did. Obeying her superiors, even if he was just a human boy, was programmed into her. The general attitude superiors she had known was 'Do it or die.' Second, staying on the team. She had to or face her Sensei in failure. Yubaba didn't take kindly to failure. This sort of tied into the 'obey your superiors' category. But one point hit home harder than the others did. 'You'll become weak.' Ka-Shoku couldn't allow herself to become weak. Weak meant she wouldn't learn Yubaba's magic. Weak meant she'd be prey to other spirits. Weak meant never finding her home. She couldn't let that happen. This is what she told herself.   
    Kai had been surprised when she just gave in to him. He never thought it would happen that quickly or easily. He had been prepared for a stubborn fight. But then, he did make himself very clear. She must not be as stupid as he had thought. He turned his mind to other matters, more important things. 

  
    Three beds six people. It looks simple enough. But that equation doesn't count for the fact that one is a girl and another snores loudly. After an hour of deliberation, they decided on a solution. Kenny and Tyson would share a bed, Ray and Max would share another, and Kai and Ka-Shoku would share the last one. Tyson had nudged Kai. "Nice arrangement, eh?" Kai ignored him.   
    They shared their plans for the next day. Max said something about meeting his mother and Ray mentioned something about a square. Nothing was mentioned about training. Ka-Shoku was concerned about this. She had expected Kai to say something, as he was their team captain, but he hadn't. It was like he didn't care about winning the Championships, Ka-Shoku thought. He was distracted, which he couldn't afford to be with the Championships just a few days away.   
    "Be back here by noon," Ka-Shoku ordered them. Someone had to. "Training," she explained.   
    "We've been training since we left America. Why shouldn't we take a day to check out the city?" Tyson challenged.   
    "Two words: World Championships."   
    "A day won't hurt us," Max said, "and we'll be able to concentrate better after."   
    "Don't worry about it. It's not like they're lazing off," Kenny tried to re-assure.   
    "Geez, she's as bad as Kai," Tyson whispered to Max.   
    "Fine," she gave in grudgingly. The problem was she didn't know much about being a leader, and less about the actual training. Yubaba's magic had given her great beyblading skills, but little else. Maybe if she learned more… but how?   
    The others turned in and fell asleep. Tyson's snoring, which was rumored to be quite loud, was in reality quite peaceful and soothing this early in the night.   
    Where could humans go to find huge amounts of information for free? A memory tickled the back of her mind. It was a place that had lots of books, a friendly staff, and allowed people to read their books for no charge. What did they call them… libraries? She'd ask about it downstairs.   
    Quietly she packed a small bag with her magical items and hefted it onto her aqua colored shoulders. She grabbed her room key, and was about to leave when she spotted Kenny's laptop. She didn't get along with technology. But if humans used them, and she was trying to learn to lead them, shouldn't she use one too? She weighed the problem out in her mind, then packed the laptop too. The last thing she did before leaving was to leave a short note to Kenny explaining that the laptop was safe and that she had it.   
    She asked the receptionist if there were any libraries around. The receptionist wrote down some instructions, and handed them to Ka-Shoku. "But it's closed now," the receptionist informed her.   
    "Thank you anyway," Ka-Shoku said, before leaving. Closed to humans, but open to any spirit who wanted to break in.   
    The night street was lit only by the beautifully carved lamp posts and the gentle glowing of recently deceased souls drifting on to the spirit world. A few would be changed into the shadow spirits that haunted towns like the one near the Bathhouse. Most would be reborn.   
    "Must be a spirit gate close by," she mused. There were so many, more then if there wasn't. It was a good thing that the souls were invisible to humans, or they would really freak out. She walked quickly, following the instructions. A few of the souls followed her, until she shoed them off. She wasn't going to the gate, so the souls would get lost. Sometimes she flew, but not very far or fast. It was difficult to without using the fan on this foreign ground. She was very young so she couldn't fly or transform without one on her. When she grew older, she would.   
    The library was a quite large building and from the name Ka-Shoku decided it must be the center library. Dark and closed, no signs of life even of a security guard. Good.   
    She jumped up to the roof and the awaiting skylights. Carefully, to avoid any alarms, she opened one up.   
    Nothing.   
    She took out her black opal and dropped it. "Tomeruaraamu."   
    Waves of black energy went through the building. The opal hit the floor with a sharp clink. Any alarms that had existed were now off.   
    She dropped gently to the floor. She held her hand up, closing the skylight by magic, and picking up the opal. She looked around. The place was dark except for the moonlight streaming in through the glass above. Her eyes were like cats, meaning she could see perfectly fine.   
    She walked to the closest table, sat down and opened up the laptop. She dropped her bag sloppily, and some items spilled out. It took her a few minutes, but she managed to turn it on and it booted up.   
    "Who are you?" a voice coming from the laptop demanded. "And where am I?"   
    "My name is Ka-Shoku. I'm the Bladebreakers' new team member. You're at a library."   
    "Why?" the voice asked. "I'm Dizzi, by the way."   
    "I need you to help me learn how to be a leader and to train the boys."   
    "Why?" Dizzi asked, curious.   
    "Because if I don't, they will probably lose the World Championships."   
    "And how do you know that? Those boys are tougher than they look."   
    "I hope they are," Ka-Shoku paused. "And it's better safe than sorry."   
    "One more question. If we're at the library, and it's ten o'clock at night, how did we get in?"   
    "Skylight."   
    If Dizzi had had eyebrows, she would have raised them. The new girl was definitely more lax than Kenny was. But who was she to complain? Being trapped in a laptop crunching numbers all day didn't allow for much excitement.   
    "So let's get to work. Leadership, huh? Just let me hack into the cataloguing system." Dizzi whirled and beeped for a few minutes. Ka-Shoku diligently kept watch, just in case. "Let's start with this book. Chief read it, didn't do him a whole lot of good, but it's as good as any place to start."   
    Ka-Shoku copied down the dewy decimal number and went off to search for it. The place had practically a thousand different bookshelves. One doesn't have to be told that it was hard. When she had finally found it, she let out a little victory whoop. Very unlike her. Her first book quest was over and the results were good.   
    "Finally found it?"   
    Ka-Shoku dropped the book in question and spun around into a defensive position.   
    "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." A teenage boy leaned against the bookcase a few paces away from her. With his red hair, white and orange clothes and the lantern he had, she wondered how she could have missed him.   
    "Who are you?" she asked.   
    "Tala, and you are?"   
    "Ka-Shoku."   
    "I can teach you what you want to know," Tala said. "Leadership."   
    "Why would you want too?"   
    "Bored, I guess. I've already read all the classics here. That's why I come here," he added, under the misconception that she cared. He paused before continuing, "and when I was told I was to be team captain, I came here too."   
    "That's all? Nothing in return?" Ka-Shoku asked, suspicious. No one did anything for free.   
    Tala thought for a second. "That Japanese fan in your backpack, where did you get it?"   
    "Sunset Shrine near Tokyo," she replied. She didn't know why she was being so candid with him or he with her, but it didn't hurt either one, so she shouldn't worry.   
    "A fan blessed by a Shrine deity," Tala said. "That's what I want in return."   
    "Then you won't want mine," she was trying to discourage him. "It was stolen from a miko's hands."   
    "I'm sure she would forgive you."   
    Damn, the miko would. But how did he know that? And should she give it to him? She didn't have another, and she could work a lot of magic with it to help gain the Bladebreakers' victory. But if he taught her how to lead them, then she wouldn't need it for that and it would help her mission. The mission always came first, so "Deal."   
    Tala grinned. "Let's get back to that laptop of yours."   
    And so the three of them worked together. When the staff came to open up, they hid until the library was officially open. Tala left around noon, he had to get back, he said. That was when she gave him the fan. Dizzi and Ka-Shoku left hours later. 

_To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

**Shugorei   
Chapter Five   
by Shadou-sama**

    Kai fiddled with a fan, sitting on a riverbank. The fan had always calmed him and allowed him to think clearly. He didn't know where it had come from or why he had it, it'd had just always been there.   
    His head was full of the dream he had had. The abbey, Boris, and Ka-Shoku. Why did he have that dream? Why did everything seem so familiar?   
    Balkov Abbey. It held the answers, and there he must go. 

    Boris took a second glance at the data on his monitor. This couldn't be! But pictures don't lie.   
    He walked over to a painting, pulled it away from the wall revealing a screen. Pressing a button, it flickered on.   
    Voltaire's face glared back at him. "What is it, Boris."   
    "Sir, I have just received some reports. It seems the Bladebreakers have gotten a new member."   
    "So? Once we get Kai, no mere child can defeat us."   
    "It's Ka-Shoku."   
    "What?" Voltaire exclaimed. He leaned back in his chair. Of all the beybladers, it had to be her. She could stop their plans, unless… Unless Kai himself wanted Biovolt to succeed. Then she would be powerless to stop them.   
    He thought back to when Kai had just lost his parents. Voltaire had thought it prudent to allow Kai to visit the family manor regularly and this just happened to be one of those times. Kai had been very upset, crying alone in his room. His parents had worked at the Abbey, so Kai had known them well. Voltaire was not one to let his grandson, his heir, cry but he made an exception this time.   
    Voltaire had walked by Kai's semi open door when he heard a female voice among the sobbing. He looked into the door, concealed by wall and the door. Kai was laying on his bed, sobs wracking his body. Beside him was a little girl, around the same age as Kai, with dark red hair. The girl he would later nickname Ka-Shoku.   
    "They're in the spirit world now. They're having a good time, eating delicious food, bathing at the bathhouse, playing games," Ka-Shoku soothed. "And they're waiting for you to grow old and join them and you can be together forever."   
    "But K-ka-chan, I want t-them here, with m-me," Kai sobbed.   
    "They wish that too. But fate has taken them early on, and you'll just have to wait until fate decides for you to join them. Then you'll be a happy family again."   
    "You p-promise?" Kai looked up. His face was shiny with tears.   
    "I promise. But you have to promise me something too."   
    "W-what?"   
    "That you have fun and play and be happy. Can you promise me that?"   
    Kai nodded.   
    Ka-Shoku smiled and hugged him. "Kai," she had whispered. She released him, and put her finger index on his cheek. She drew four blue triangles. "These four markings come from your sadness, but it also means that people love you. They are to remind you that your parents and your ancestors are watching over you and are always sending you their love. And they're to remind you that I'll always protect you. Don't forget Kai."   
    She hugged him again, and he hugged her back. Voltaire stood outside the door, peering in, disbelieving. Who was that girl?   
    "I have to go," she had whispered, letting him go. "But I'll be back. I promise you that. And you know where to find me." Kai nodded sullenly.   
    She jumped out the window! They were four stories up! Voltaire rushed down the stairs, urging his old body to go. He reached the outdoors, caught a glimpse of her and followed.   
    Into the family shrine she walked. When Voltaire arrived, no one was around. He walked beyond the bells and ropes to the small building were the Shrine's deities sat.   
    The truth hit him quick and sudden. A new statue of a dragon spirit had been added at the time of Kai's birth. The girl was that spirit, one that had chosen Kai to protect. Kariu-mashokui.   
    Kai sat in his room oblivious to his grandfather's discovery. Ka-Shoku had forgotten her fan. It was a beautiful creation. The background was the night sky with a red dragon happily flying through it. He wanted to keep it safe for her.   
    Later on, after Kai had caused the destruction of half the Abbey and had to be removed, he brought out the great spirit in order to capture her. He brought her to the Abbey. It needed a new weapon since Kai was unable to be it. A year later Ka-Shoku escaped and was never seen again.   
    "Sir? What do we do?" Boris's voice cut through into Voltaire's thoughts.   
    "Continue as planned. We must have Kai," Voltaire ordered.   
    "But what about Ka-Shoku?"   
    "Leave her be. But less than total loyalty in Kai is unacceptable."   
    "Yes, sir." 

_To be continued..._


End file.
